davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Signs OF Wind.

Frank Dominick Navarette in the sew
enteenth century discovered certain infal.
lible signs of winds. One never failing
token twas the running and auttering
about of little insects aboard the ship,
and the more restless they are the higher
the wind, and by observing what place
they come from mariners shall know if it
will be fair" Another sign, according
to his reverence, is when pigs begin to
run and tumble about a ship in CAIN.
Baumgarten, in his "Travels," ," says he
was with pilot who, by putting his fin
ger in his mouth, and then holding it up,
:'prognosticated to US that we should
have wind very speedily. which, indeed,
proved accordingly" All that the mod
ern sailor can do by wetting his finger
and lifting it is to feel if there be any
movement in the air. The digit has long
ceased to be sibyl. Formerly the Brit
tany fisherman raised the wind at will
by procuring the di;st swept cut of GER
tam church and blowing it in the direc-
tion from which they had desired the
breeze to come. Sardinian sailors also
possessed the same useful art. To pro-
cure fair wind they had nothing to do
but to sweep chapel after mass ana
blow the dust of it after departing ships.
London Telegraph.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Stalking Out His Claim.

A slim young man was perched or stool
in one of the large restaurants near the
Tribune building devouring strawberry
dumpling. The capacity of the restau.
rant was not sufficient for the rush OF
customers and behind the fortunate pos
SCISSORS of stools formed another line OF
hungry candidates glarlng over the
shoulders of the eaters and watching each
mouthful disappear. Behind the slim
young man, however, four hungry eyes
watched the vanishing fragments OF
strawberry dumpling. There were two
contestants for the seat, corpulent old
person in spectacles and tall man with
a silk hat.
The slim young man completing his
lunch climbed down from his perch, and
the corpulent watcher with great activity
began to climb up. -,
"Hold on" said tho other candidate
gruffly.
"What for2"
"Because, sir, have right to the
scat. was here, sir, when that young
man began to eat his dumping. Per
haps," added the tall man scornfully,
"you think that I have been standing
here Just to count how many mouthfuls
there are in a strawberry dumpling."
The elderly man laid his hand on the
stool and said with the confident air of
ne who holds four aces: 81 am very
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
A Natural Question.

Little Nellie was in the court room
where her uncle was witness, and found
much to interest her there. She was
especially struck by the impressive man
ner of the lawyer who was haranguins
the jury.
"Papa," she inquired, "who is that
man that is talking so loud?"
"That is the lawyer for the defense, my
dear"
"And who is that man with the scar
over his eye, that just sits there and never
says worda'
"That is the defendant"
"And who are those men that the law
yer is talking to-"
"They compose the jury"
After moments silence Nellie re-
newed the attack.
"Papaw
f'Well?"
"What has the jury been doing7"-
Merchant Traveller.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
The Lamb and the Wolf

A thirsty W5H was one day drinking at
q clear flowing brook and was on its four
tecnth lap, whan timid Limb came to
the same brook, to drink and went lit
tie way up the stream above the
Wolf. "Look. here" said the Lamb,
don't you know better than to,push in
and drink up oil the water when you see
1 am drinking:" The Wolf meakty re-
piled that he Was there first, butt would
90 away directly. "Well," said the
Lamb, haven't you any better manners
than to thrust your nose into the water
and make that horrible sucking noise
when you drink.3" The poor Wolf pro-
tested that it would be impossible for
him to drink drop with his nose in the
water; he barely touched the tip of his
tongue to it. t'That's the same thing"
said the Lamb, angrily, land beside, I
don't want you to wash your fleece in this
brook while am drinking; Z can't abide
the taste: ef wool in drinking-water." "
The WOLF began to tremble: and said that
he was standing as far away from the
brook as be could, and that moreover he
had NO wool and never did have. "Now,
l swear" exclaimed the Lamb, "this is
too mach for the patience of an angel;
see how you stand there rolling up the
water with your great hoofs, making it
so auddy that l can't drink. Look at
it," "But," said the: frightened Wolf,
s>how can that be, when am not in the
water, and you are up stream anyhow"
esGreat heavens" roared the Laah,
''must be tormcnted to death by this
brawler1 If there is anything I can't en-
dure it is a contentious spirit. / must
have peace" So saying she seized the
bowling Wolf by the neck and swept q
path across the mossy glade with him.
Explanatory Moral: The Wolf had
been for three years the husband of the
Lambs only daughter.-Rurdstte, IN
Brooklyn Eagle.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
How Eyesight Is Injured.

It isa we'll known fact that school chill
dren suffer from influences which tend
to seriously injure their eyesight. Dr..
Lincoln has recently written on the ''Hy-
giene of the Eyes Among School Chill
drcn." He says: In school work we
should require C) a comfortable temper.
ature, and especially let the feet be kept
warm and dry, ~ good ventilation, 90
loose clothing, (4) erect posture, ~ llt-
tie study before breakfast, or directly
after hearty meal; none at all at
twilight or late at night, (6) great eau,
ton about study after recovery from fe'
vers, (7) light abundant, but not daz-
zling, (s sun not shining on the desk OF
objects in front of the pupil, ~ light
coming from the left hand or left and
rear; under some circumstances from in
front (no light from the right Of the
pupil permitted); (1O) the book held at
right angles to the line Of light, or nearly
so; 1D frequent rest by looking up,
(1s) distance of book from the eyes to be
about fifteen inches.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
POPULAR SCIENCE.

:. BY the use Of palladfSn in she hair.
spring and balance. Geneva matchmaker
claims to have produced accutate time.
pieces which are unaffected by magnet
ism.
To aid in an analysis of noise, Pro.
fessor Crum Brown, of the Royal Society
of Edinburg, hopes to be able TO- make 9
machine to give very loud imitatfons OF
vocal sounds. He expects the apparatus
! TO hiss with thousandlman power:
A new discovery is that by the use OF
eitric acid or citrate off silver seswater
may be made drinkable:. By this means
chloride of silver is prs1ipitated and
harmless mineral water is produced. An
ounce Of citrate makes haa-pint of watsr
driukabIe.
A leaf of the giant waterlily Victoria
regiS has been known to measure TWEEN
ty-feur feet 81 inches in circumference,
its weight being nearly fourteen pounds.
One of the flowers was four feet two
inches in circumference. with'petals nine
inches'in length, and weighedis4 pounds
Platinum wire, experiment Has shown,
can be drawn so fine as to be invisible to-
the naked eye, although it can be seem
by the and of a small magnifying glass
when laid upon perfectly white card
held inssoch a position that the wire casts
shadow It presence on the card cam
also be:dstected by the touch.
The bees sting, says Naturalista Clark,
is by no, npcans made for stinging only
but is used in doing the artistic cell
work, oappng the comb and infusing the
fermio acid, by means of which honey
receives Its keeping qualities. The sting
is-really skilfully contrived littlettrpwsl
with Winch the bee finishes off andicaps
he'cells when they are brimful of honey.
This, explains why honey extracted be-
fore-it is capped over does not keep we'll
The. fornnie acid has not been injected
into'it-
Ina paper to the Liverpool Astronom-
ical Society, Mr.. w. H. s. Monck, sug-
gested lately that the puzzling climatic
variations recorded by the rocks, may
haYs' been produced by the near approach
to the earth of intensely hot stars.. This
may have been due to the travelling Of
the star itself, or to the motion of the
solar system in space. Moving with the
earth's own rate, celestial body would
traverse in so, 1000, 900 years the.distance
separating our globe from the. most re-,
mote of the 10000, 900 stars. visible in
the most powerful telescopes. making it.
possible that, with suitable proper mo-
tions, any or every star known may have;
visited the solar system during the period.
commonly assumed by geologists to have
elapsed since the first dawn of Life. In
tensely hot stars may, have: added ma
terially to the earth's heat without COM
ing sufficiently near to greatly derange
the planetary orbits. ,"+
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
The Grave of a Famous Horse.

On the crest of hill at Chester, New
York, close by the roadside, the founder
of the greatest family of light-harness
horses sleeps. The grave is enclosed by
frail, picket fence, and a marble slab
bears this inscription: "Rysdyk's Ham
bletonian, foaled May 5. 1S49; died
March 27, 1876" The little gate which
opens from the road is barred by a large
stone, and he who would stand upon the
sacred soil must climb fence. A young
elm is growing above the mound, and
thirty feet away is a wild cherry now in
blossom. The dandelions grow like
drops of gold in the tender grass, and an
atmosphere of sweetness and quiet bathes
the hills. The great horse rests not more
than 100 yards from the stable which
sheltered him, and among the scenes of
his trilmphs. He made Mr.. Ryskyk a
rich man, and surprise is often expressed
that he was not more generously remem-
bercd in the will. But Mr.. Rysdyk was
an odd character. He once became dis.
gusted with horses, and offered, as Dir.
Gavin we'll remembers, all his stock, in
Guiding Hambletonian, for sale. Only a
few neighbors attended the auction, and
as no bids were made the stallion was
preserved to him. Some goddess of good
fortune seemed to interfere and ward off
the evil. AS Mr.. Ryskyk's income
increased he gratifed his passion
for land proprletorship, and farm after
farm was added to the modest homestead, :,
Nearly all these lands have passed from
his descendants, and now strangers are
asked to subscribe to fund for erecting
monument over the grave of Hamble.
tonian. n.-New York Commercial.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
The Curious Wild West Show.

About two weeks ago Dakota farmer
was approached by stranger, who said
"What will you take for that little
short-horned yearling out there in the
yard9"
"Bout $15."
us he gentle?"
eyes"
"Ncver kicks2"
"No."
'No danger of butting fellow over
with his head?"
''Not bit-my children play VITA
him whenever they take notion"
"Well, Iguess I'll take him. I'm agent
for Hollerwell & Showpoor's Anti
European Circus, and we need another
buffalo for our wild West department.
BY the time we put q hump on his
shoulders and paint his horns black you
wouldn't know your calf. I hope he'll
stay gentle, though; the last one we had
hooked three of our cowboys off their
horses, disabled two Buffalo Bills and
drove Texas Jack, the Western terror, up
the center-pole. He acted so we had to
tie him up with the elephants, give him
q coat of red paint and call him the terri
BILE man eating jogglewock, captured in
Central Africa at great expense and loss
of tfe. Do you suppose the calf will
drink milk9-the sacred COW gives a lit
tie more than the zebra will take. ."-Da-
Eot0 Bell.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
A Queer PhilanthrOpist,

Stephen Girard was man under a pos
session. He had great talent, and it
dominated him. In his pursuit of busi-
ness he was as keen as lover, and as
blind to outside and diverting influences.
1t was not money making that was his
passion, that came IS logical result;
but he was absorbed in, and devoted to
business. He sometimes hardly seemed
to realize the yalue of money to other
people, and that man should be ruined
because he could not command certain
sum on certain day was almost crime
to him. No one had right to get into
such position, and he should ask no
pity. Gi-ard had no patience with fail
ures. If man had feet, let him stand
on them. No one found Girard willing
to act as crutch, although he could go.
into the houses whose very air was death,
and in his arms carry out men who were
dying with a pestilence. He believed
in fraternity, but his employees were-his
employees. In his countirg-roon, his
bank, his house, there was but one will,
and that was his own. He paid for the
work done for him. Did the worker
ueeu mOle moneys: w HUI Was tudt W
his employer9 He kept to his limits in
all his relations in life, and never lost a
clear sense of relative positions. After
his brother Jean died, he took charge of
the three orphan children left in Phila-
delphia. He sent them to the best
schools, but he paid the bills out of the
little estate their father left. His house
was their home, and he was kind to them.
He never bought shawl or dress for one
that he did not for the others, and he re-
membered their girlish fancies. After
they had married from his house he
petted their children, and liked to have
them shout, and, indeed, felt a right to
the little people, but he never adopted
these little girls, and never seemed 70
have fathers devotion fer them. He
corresponded with his family in France,
but he was too busy watching the markets
of the world to give much time to indi-
viduals, even if they were his relations.
Domestic Monthly =
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
A DOG That Catches Fish.

]. N. Mcconnell, of Charlottesville,
Ind, is the owner of dog that he values
very highly. Itisa full blooded Scotch
shepherd, about one year old. The canine
is smart one, and seems to understand
every word that is spoken to it. Among
it's many accomplishments is that of
being an expert fisherman. He will take
q position in drift in small stream
running near Mr.. McConnell's house, and
making a racket, will scare the fish out into
the water, where he can see them. Then
diving suddenly he will bring fish up
in his mouth. This operation he will re.
peat until he catches as many as he
wants. Spectators on the banks in no
wise embarrass him in his piscatorial pur-
suit. The dog is very fond of fish and
cats all that he catches. That is the only
objection to the whole proceeding, as his
owner thinks that he could supply his
table with fresh fish the year round if the
dog could only be taught to retrieve;
and he will give him few lessons in that
art Cincinnati ENQUIRER.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
More Clothes than Brains.

Mr.. E. Berry Wall, otherwise known
as the King of the Dudes, is reported to
have valet who follows him about town
with suits of clothes in valise, so that he
may make a change OF aiment at the
proper period during the day. I don't
know how much fact there is in this
divcrting statement, but have, by ex-
pcricnce, become cognizant of a case quite
similar to his, as stated. I went into the
barroom of the Hotel Brunswick at one
o'clock in the day. At the next table to
my party sat one composed of three young
e!egants. The most superb of them
looked as if he had just come out of a
bandbox. We had hardly seated our
selves when he remarked, in the voice OF
a man weary of all the world and its
follies
"Well, fellows, I'm awf. I must
dwess faw awftawnoon."
And off he went, with the languid
farewclls of his Ua@ cronies. The COM
bined ages of the trio, l should judge.
would have been about that of one
healthy old man.-Nsw York News.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Daniel Pratt as q Poet.

Speaking about the late Daniel Pratt,
the crank known as the "Great Ameri-
can Traveller" a writer in the Boston
Adcertiser says: Years ago, when the
writer was devil" in printing office
in Charlestown, harmless old Daniel
Pratt used to call occasionally to talk
politics with the printers. We could not
then realize his greatness, although he
often used to tell us of it. His shocking,
bad, tall hat, as it loomed up over the
cases on the other side of us, was grand
target for three-em quads and slugs. 1t
used to make Daniel mad when his hat
was hit, and his rawlings afforded great
delight. One day he brought in an ad-
vertisement for wife, to be printed in
the paper, as he had become tired of liv-
ing alone. 1t closed with these pathetic
lines:
seek lady for a wife
Who'll cheer nv solitary life;
Be you lean or be you fat,
Will you have me!
Daniel Pratt.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Growth in Children.

The rate of growth in children varies
according to sex. Thus, at the age Of
eleven and twelve years, boys arc larger
and heavier than girls; but from that
age on the evolution of the girls is more
rapid, and they soon overtake the boys
and pass them, till the age of fifteen
years is reached, when the boys regain
the ascendency, while the girls remain
nearly stationary. A curious relation
has been discovered between the growth
of children in stature and in weight. NJ.
Mailing Hansen, Director of the Deal
and Dumb Institution at Copenhagen,
has for years weighed and measured his
pupils daily; and he has observed that
their growth does not take place reg
ularly and progressively, but by Stages
separated by intervals of rest. Weight
also increases by periods after intervals
of equilibrium. While the weight is in
creasing, the stature remains nearly
stationary, and vice versa. The maximum
of increase of stature corresponds with a
minimum period of augmentation oil
weight. The vital forces appear not to
work on both sides at once. These
variations are subject to the influence OF
the seasons. During Autumn and early
Winter, according to NJ. Mailing Hansen,
the child accumulates weight, while his
stature increases slowly; but during
Spring, stature receives veritable push,
while weight increases but little. Some
local habits have an influence on the
stature. Stendhal remarked that many
Roman girls had deformed vertebral col.
umns, or were little hump-backed, and
found that it was the result of popular
belief prevailing in Rome that parents
could promote the growth of theil
children by punching them in the back
Popular Science Monthly.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
His Memory was Good.

"And you pretend to say" remarked a
lawyer TO witness, Sthat you remember
the exact words this man said to you ten
years agp?"
81 do"
"Well,. if my memory serves me- met
you at Saratoga about five years ago, and
/ should like to know if you can swear
to any expression which 1 then made"
81 can"
"Now, Mr. j., want you to EeMem-
Der that you are under oath. Now,
under oath,, you swear that'you canquote
with great accuracy remark made to
you at Saratoga five years ago2"
81 can."
"Well, whus was it?"
"You met me in the hotel corridor"
eyes, quite. correct"
"And you shook hands with, me-"
"Naturally i did"
"And you said to me: Let's 60 and
take something"
The crier of, the court had to, call 81
lence for ten minutes, and the: lawyer
confessed thatthe witness had a'ramark-
able memory.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
up the litter. When the sun finally went

up the litter. When the sun finally went
down the night came on hazy, and the
wind fell to two-knot breeze I was in
a great quandary as to what to do with
the man, who seemed to have been asleep
for several hours. lighted the ships Ian
terms and hung chem overheard, and
then, about two hours after dark, I car
ried the man some tea and bread and
canned fruit. He lay on the broad of
his back, and was deaf to my soothing
words. I held up his head and put the
tea to his lips, and in anstant he seemed
to 60 wild. By a mighty effort he
loosend the ropes-I afterward found he
had gnawed some of them in twain-and
next instant he was upon me. Neither
of us had any weapons, nor was there
opportunity to secure one. We grappled
each other, and in less than a minute I
saw that it was his life or mine, or per-
haps both. He was seeking to drag me
to the broken bulwarks, and l was seek
ing to prevent. He had grip like death,
and as we struggled back and forth
amidships we tore the clothes off of each
other, and used OUT hands and feet
whenever there was an opening. He
was the stronger of the two,
but could use my fists the better,
and this evened us up. said that we
had no weapons. had my sheath knife,
but l did not propose to use that until
felt that my life depended upon it. The
time finally came. was growing weak,
and while he seemed as strong as ever. I
was just about to loosen the grip I had
on him with my right hand and reach for
my knife when there was a great shout
from the bows. a number of men came
running along the decks, and voice
which recognized as that of the master
of the Stranger called ous:
"What is it, Who are you3 What IS,
going on2"
"Lay hold of him, Mn. Jameson; he's.
crazy !" shouted, and with that four on
FIVE men seized him and flung him to the
deck.
Now, let me tell You what had hap
9ened. I was lost overheard from the
ship about midday Six hours afterward
she sprung aleak, and was abandoned
Just before she went down. The Grew
got away in two boats, outlived the
storm, and were heading up the NADIA
gascar when they spied my lights and al
tered their course to make the wreck.
They had hailed the hulk several times,
and finally came aboard just in time to
prevent deed which would have been
a burden to, my peace of mind forever
after. The crew which left the brig were
never heard of more, while ths lunatic
died next day after our men came aboard.
Not man from the Stranger was lost,
and we rugged up the brig and took her
to the Cape, and the salvage more than
paid for the loss of our ship and cargo
-Neao York Sun.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Wanted 1t Rolling.

Home Seeker Ito real estate many
-"And you say that the farm will just
suit me2T
Real Estate Man-"A1ost assuredly.n
Il want the land to be rolling, you
understands"
"Yes this land is rolling"
Several weeks later-Home Seeker Ito
real estate man-"You are a miserable
fraud and"
Real Estate Man-"W'y what's the nat
ter2"
"Matter! WY, confound you, ten acres
of my farm went into the river last
night"
7I'm sorry to hear it; but didn't you
tell me.that you wanted rolling, land2"
ayes"
"Well. then, you got it. You didn't
sap which way you wanted tbs land to
roll. Don't be in hurry. Draw up a
chair and sit down while."- "-Arkansas
frageler.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
Animal Food.

Old man Jupe is noted character in
our village (writes a correspondent). He
was taken quite i'll at one time and the
services of physician were called for.
He was prescribed for, and the doctor
told the old man he must take no food
but cruel for few days.
"Gruel! Cruel! what's that }" asked
the patient. The constitution of that
article was explained by the doctor.
"Slops!" growled the old man.
On the second visit a slightly altered
diet was proposed, and the details given.
"Mush /" was the summary of the
patient.
In due course old Jupe's health i'm
proved, and the physician announced tc
him that he might eat little animal
food. This was too much for the
patient, now nearly we'll man; be fatty
refused, as follows
"Look here, doctor; I've eaten youl
oats, and I've eaten your corn, but I'll be
blamed if l eat hay! "--American Maga
zine.